“Well if Luke and Matthew are here” said Philip Jonker of Weltevrede, referring to the younger generation of SA’s first family of fizz, the Krones (shown below) “where are the other ten apostles?” A sensible question to ask as the venue for the announcement of the winners of the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge today was the Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa.

While JC le Roux may have won the big prize with their excellent 2003 vintage Scintilla, the Krones won everybody’s hearts as their Krone Borealis Vintage Cuvée Brut 2001 creamed the museum class but was not eligible for the big prize due to a rule which was subsequently scrapped. So next year they can enter the wine again and should win as winemaker Matthew revealed he has 2000 bottles under crown cap in the Tulbagh tabernacle. Of course the Scintilla was old enough to enter the museum class but wisely chose not to. Isn’t hindsight in wine competitions wonderful?

Amorim (pronounced “I’ll moer him”) big cork Joaquim Sa (shown below modelling how to drink tea in the East to avoid contagious teacup transmitted diseases) pronounced himself well pleased with the results. As were the rest of the guests as when I left after 4pm, the corks were still popping.